Our last goodbye
by Trinnerti
Summary: Oneshot. Sakura always thought that Sasuke was the one for her. But now she knew she was wrong. Will he accept her love or will her push her away?


A/N: This story came up when I was reading my book for school. I couldn't get it out of my head so I wrote this one. Romance/Tragedy. Enjoy!

"Speaking" '_Thoughts_'

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.

**Our last goodbye**

Sakura was always a girl of love. She craved for somebody that loved her for who she was and not only her body or her status. When Sasuke left she was heartbroken. She thought that he was the guy for her. So she asked Tsunade if she could become her apprentice. That she could grow strong enough to bring Sasuke back. But when all attempts failed, she focused all her energy on her work and training to forget him.

She asked if Kakashi wanted to train her in her spare time. He always felt guilty that he turned his back on her and only focused on the boys. Kakashi wanted to make his mistake right, so he complied with her request and started to train her.

They trained for days that turned into months that turned into years. After every training they went to a pub to talk about the old days. Through the years they became closer friends and Kakashi noticed that she meant more for him than just a friend. It scarred him to death.

He really liked her company, a little too much for his own liking. He hadn't loved anyone for a long time. He pushed them far away enough so that they didn't come close enough. But somehow Sakura went through his defence and got into his heart. When Kakashi finally faced his feelings, he knew that they could never be and that he needed to get rid of those feelings.

Kakashi tried to avoid her and cancelled all their training appointments. But it didn't help. He still ran into her somehow. He went to Tsunade and asked for a month long mission, which would help him to get rid of those feelings. Sakura went to see him off and made him promise to come back in one piece.

Sakura didn't tell how she felt about him. Through the years she realized that Sasuke wasn't the guy she'd waited all along for. It was the silver haired jounin that captured that spot. She always could be herself around him. She felt safe and warm when she was with him and was happy. She thought Kakashi might think the same way about her, judging his behaviour towards her the last couple of weeks. When he comes back from his mission she would tell him how she felt.

The night after he came back from his mission, Sakura summoned all her guts and went to visit him.

Sakura took a deep breath before lifting her hand to knock on his door. '_This is it._' She swallowed nervously and closed her eyes briefly. '_You can do it girl, you've waited for this for so long. Just knock and tell him._' She knocked three times and waited while holding in her breath. Sakura waited a couple of minutes before Kakashi appeared in the door opening. She smiled nervously, "Hey Kakashi, can I come in for a minute?" He just opened the door a little wider and let her enter.

During his mission he noticed that his thoughts always wandered back to the pink haired woman now standing before him. Kakashi knew he had fallen in love with her. But even so, he wouldn't give in; he was a broken and an empty shell. She was still young and full of life; she deserved somebody so much better than him.

Kakashi closed the door behind her and walked into the kitchen. He grabbed two teacups and began to make tea. "How was your mission?" Sakura asked, trying to break the silence between them.

Kakashi turned and handed her a cup of tea. "It went fine, what have you been doing lately?"

"Oh, the usual. Working in the hospital and training," Sakura replied smiling. She took a sip of her tea. '_Hmm blueberry._' She studied Kakashi while sometimes sipping her tea. Something was different, but she couldn't find out what it was. "Is there a specific reason why you're here?" Kakashi asked suddenly, looking straight into the emerald eyes he loved so much. And then it hit her. Sadness. There was allot more sadness in his eye than usual. She wanted to know why. She broke their eye contact and sighed. "Yes, actually there is."

Sakura kept silent for a couple of minutes, thinking how she could tell in the best way how she felt about him. What if he refused her? She took another sip before putting down her cup tea, making up her mind. Kakashi looked up a bit surprised at the sound of her cup hitting the kitchen table. He watched as Sakura was in thoughts. He waited patiently for her to start. He took another sip when she started to talk.

"When I was twelve, I always thought that Sasuke was the one for me. That I would marry him and would life happily till my time came," Sakura started softly. "And when he left, it had hurt so much. But then you came. You always comforted me and never left me alone. During our training, it was always fun and you always knew how to make me laugh and making me happy. Then I realized I was wrong my whole life."

Kakashi's heart was beating rapidly. Is she going to say what he thought she is going to say? "Sasuke wasn't the guy I waited for," Sakura looked at his direction and took a deep breath. '_It's now or never._' "It was you I was waiting all along for. I guess I'm trying to say is, I love you Kakashi." There she said it. She waited for his respond but nothing came. He just sat there frozen, looking with at her with a shocked gaze.

Suddenly he stood up and walked away. Sakura said that she loved him just like he loved her, but it only had hurt him more. He didn't want to be selfish, he didn't deserve her. All his loved ones have died because of him. He couldn't and didn't dare to do that to Sakura.

"I love you too Sakura," He finally says. '_So I was right,_' Sakura thought happily. But that happiness didn't stay for long. "But the only thing that we can be is friends, nothing more." It felt like her heart was ripped apart. "Why not? Is it my age that bothers you?" Sakura asked hurt. She was fighting back her tears. Why couldn't they be together if they felt the same about each other? To her the age gap didn't matter. With love was age just a number. It didn't matter that he was her former sensei or what the village might say, as long they could be together is was mattered to her.

"It isn't your age Sakura."

"Then what? Does it bother you that you were my sensei?"

"No that's not it."

"Are you afraid what the village might say?"

"No, I don't care about the village."

"Than what is it? Why can't we be together?" Sakura yelled out desperately. She wanted to scream at him. If those things didn't bother him, why can't they be? He said he loved her too, so why was he holding back?

"I'm sorry Sakura but we are just friends." Sakura grabbed Kakashi's arm and forced him to turn around and look at her.

"If you say that, then I want you to look straight into my eyes," She said with a trembling voice.

"We are friends, nothing more." She looked into his lone grey eye and knew he was lying. It showed how much it hurt him to say this and that he was lying. It showed how much he loved her.

Kakashi turned away and released himself from her grip. Sakura's hand felt limply to her side. "Fine, whatever." She turned and began walking to the front door. She had learnt one thing all to well when she was still lovesick with Sasuke. She knew when to give up. Why did Kakashi have to be so stubborn, what was it that kept them apart?

Her hand lingered on the cold door knob and Sakura looked briefly over her shoulder, taking him in for the last time. She couldn't bear to be around him and act that they were only friends when she knew that there was more. "Goodbye Kakashi," her heart ached when she said this. She knew it wasn't just a normal goodbye, but a goodbye for the rest of her life. She would ran away and try to forget him. She smiled sadly. '_Like I could ever forget him._' With one shift movement she opened the door and ran away, leaving him and her heartbreak behind.

A cold breeze on his skin told him that she had left. Suddenly it hit him. She didn't just say goodbye but goodbye for always. He turned swiftly and ran to his door. Looking outside he saw the running form of Sakura. He didn't want to live without her in his life. "SAKURA!" he yelled as hard as he could. But she kept running and vanished into the darkness of the night. He mentally kicked himself and closed the door. He looked at her tea cup that already turned cold. He suddenly felt so empty and lonely that it hurt him. Making up his mind he grabbed his jacket and ran out of the door.

If he could only have her in his life as lover, so be it. He didn't want to lose her; he needed her to keep him sane. He leapt over the buildings, searching for his cherry blossom. He went everywhere he could think of where she could be but even in her apartment, he couldn't find her. After hours of searching, he finally gave up and went home. He would go tomorrow to the hospital and ask for her schedule.

The next morning he got up and went to the hospital. He walked over to the receptionist that looked like she could fall asleep every minute. She jerked up when Kakashi stood in front of her. "Can I help you sir?" She asked sleepily.

"Yes, Do you know when Haruno Sakura will be on duty?" he asked hopefully.

"Just a minute, I'll check in the system," she replied. She searched on the computer and yawned before she turned to Kakashi again. "She'll be starting tomorrow at 2 pm."

"Thank you." He turned swiftly and walked out of the hospital again. He always hated the smell that hung around the hospital.

Kakashi went to the memorial stone to get some thinking done. He didn't want to lose her too. He was the only thing he had left. Naruto left him for Jiraiya, Sasuke abandoned the village but Sakura never left him. Even though she began to train under Tsunade, she still kept in touch with him. He sighed miserably. Why was he always so stubborn? '_I can only hope that she would still love me after this._'

Kakashi stayed there whole day, thinking how he could tell Sakura how sorry he was. That he wanted to give them a chance as lovers.

Sakura heard him yelling her name alright. But she kept running. She didn't have the strength to face him that night. That night she went to Ino's apartment that she shared with Shikamaru. When Ino say her tearstained face she let her stay the night. She didn't ask what happened, knowing that Sakura wouldn't tell her anyway. Shikamaru made the guest room ready while Ino was making something to drink for Sakura. She thanked them both and apologized that she interrupted them. Ino just waved it off and gave her a hug goodnight before she and Shikamaru went to bed.

The next day Sakura made breakfast for the two before she left the house. She walked to the Hokage tower. Walking on automatic pilot, she was lost in thoughts. She couldn't face Kakashi for a couple of days; the wound was still too fresh. It was best for her to avoid places where she could run into him. Just so she would have time to heal the wounds and could face him again.

She knocked on the door before she walked into the office. "Good morning Sakura," Tsunade said looking up from her paper work.

"Good morning Tsunade-shishou," Sakura replied. '_Like I could call it a good morning,_' she thought sadly.

"Everything alright Sakura, you look a bit down today."

"I'm fine Shishou, hadn't slept so well tonight, that's all." Tsunade kept her worried gaze and sighed. "Well I hope you're fit enough otherwise you going to have a big problem."

"Problem?" Sakura asked confused.

"Yes, I'm sending you on an S-ranked mission. I wanted to give it to somebody else but you're the only one perfect for the job. I understand if…"

"No, no it's fine Tsunade-shishou. I'll take the mission," Sakura replied hastily. '_This would really help me to get my mind of Kakashi_.'

"You'll leave tonight."

"Yes shishou." Sakura turned and right when she wanted to walk out of the door she got stopped. "I'm sending Genma with you and please Sakura, be careful."

"I will." And with those words she walked out of her office.

The next day Kakashi waited out side of the hospital for Sakura to arrive. But to his surprise she didn't came. '_That's nothing for her to be late._' He jumped down from the tree he was sitting and walked into the hospital. He saw Shizune just walking into the main hall and went up to her.

"Hello Shizune," Kakashi said, waving slightly. Shizune looked up and waved back when she saw Kakashi approach her. "Hello Kakashi-san, can I help you?"

"Do you know where Sakura is?" Shizune nodded softly. "She's on a mission with Genma-san, she left yesterday night. I'm now taking care of her patients until she comes back."

"Oh, well thank you for your time Shizune," Kakashi said, trying to hide the sadness in his voice. He turned away and walked out of the hospital. He'll have to wait until Sakura would come back.

"Genma look out!" Sakura yelled while dodging an attack that was aimed for her. To bad Genma didn't have so much luck, he didn't have enough time to dodge it completely and was thrown into a tree. Sakura slammed her chakra enchanted fists into the ground, creating a dust cloud before running towards Genma. "Hold on Genma," she panted slightly while healing him. "There is just too much, I don't think we can make it." Sakura said nothing and continued to heal him. She knew it was a lost case. She knew it was a suicide mission but she accepted it anyway.

She grabbed the scroll that they had taken of the enemy out of her pocket, making a copy of it before she gave the real one to Genma. "I want you to run as fast as you can to bring this back to Konoha. I'll try to give you as much time as I can," She said while looking of the bushes to look for the enemy. "But Sakura…"

"Just do it, now go." She pushed him away when a kunai was thrown at him. "I'll be fine, just bring that damned scroll to the Hokage!" Then she grabbed some shuriken and threw it at the enemy.

Running away from Genma she stood on a branch of a tree. "If you want the scroll, then come and get it then!" She yelled. Getting the attention of the enemy just like she wanted, she ran away. Genma waited until they were far enough before he got up and ran into the direction of Konoha.

She ran 5 miles when she suddenly felt a searing pain in her left leg. She missed the branch she was aiming for and fell down on the ground. She groaned painfully and looked at her leg. It was bleeding heavily and a kunai filled with poison was sticking out. She tried to get up but failed. The poison already got into her system and her body didn't listen to her commands anymore. A cold hand grabbed her by the neck, yanking her up. She was thrown against a tree and a katana was pushed into her neck. "Give us the scroll and we might let you go." Sakura smiled weakly before she coughed up some blood. "Too bad for you I don't have it."

"What!" She was pushed onto the ground and they searched on her body for the scroll. When they found it, it changed back into a thin branch of a tree. "You bitch," he breathed angrily before stabbing her with his katana. She got stabbed over and over again and all she could do was scream. The pain filled all her senses and blood was flowing out of her wounds.

The enemy left her there, and went to search for her team mate. Sakura tried to heal herself but already knew it was a hopeless case. She faintly heard a bird chirping in the woods before her vision became black and lost her consciousness. '_Kakashi…_'

Five days later Kakashi got summoned by the Hokage. He walked into the office and knew something was wrong. Tsunade had puffy red eyes and empty sake bottles filled up the room. "You summoned me Tsunade-sama?" He said. Tsunade nodded and whipped away the freshly tears that were rolling of her cheeks. "Yes, I need to show you something." She got up and walked past him while she sobbed softly. Fear crept into his heart when they walked down into the Hokage building into a hall where all corpses were collected and prepared for their last honour before they got buried.

"As you know, Sakura was sent on a mission along with Genma." His heart ached and hoped that he was thinking right now wasn't true. "They got ambushed and Sakura sent Genma away while she tried to give him enough time to get back home." This time she couldn't hold back her tears anymore and cried. "No, please don't tell me…" Kakashi choked on his words, fear filling his senses. Tsunade said nothing and pointed at the second door on the right. He walked to the door and paused slightly to take a deep breath before opening the door.

His eye widens and a gasp escaped his mouth. His hands began to shake and his heart ached painfully. It felt like he couldn't breathe anymore and fell onto his knees. Right there in front of him on the table was the body of Sakura Haruno. She was paler than ever, blood stained clothes and blood soaked hair. He softly took her cold hand in his and a tear fell down his cheek. He hadn't cried for years, but this time he couldn't hold it back anymore. He kissed her hand softly and another tear escaped through his eye. Just because he didn't want to be selfish, he pushed another one he loved more than anybody else away. And because of that she had died, only because he couldn't say that they could be lovers. "I'm sorry Sakura, I'm so sorry."

A/N: Poor Kakashi... Ah well, that was my first attempt for tragedy/romance. Read and review .


End file.
